The Client Challenge

Ambi Robotics, a UC Berkeley lab spinout backed by The House Fund, faced the ultimate startup inflection point: transitioning from promising research to scalable business. With breakthrough AI/robotics technology, paying customers, and a strong technical founding team, they had all the ingredients for success—except business leadership experience.

The stakes couldn't be higher: As a seed-stage company preparing for their next funding round, the CEO hire would literally determine Ambi's future. This person wouldn't just run the company—they'd be the face to investors, the strategic mind behind market expansion, and the operational leader who could scale the organization.

The complexity: Finding someone who could bridge two worlds:

  • Deep technical understanding of AI/robotics and pick-and-pack automation

  • Proven business expertise in logistics, e-commerce, 3PL, and shipping industries

  • Fundraising credibility with VCs and institutional investors

  • Operational leadership to scale beyond the founding team

  • Cultural fit with academic founders transitioning to commercial focus

Added challenge: Conducting this critical search during COVID-19 lockdowns, requiring creative solutions for in-person evaluation.

Our Strategic Approach: Building CEO-Level Credibility

Industry Deep Dive & Ecosystem Mapping

We immersed ourselves in the pick-and-pack robotics landscape, studying competitors, market dynamics, and key players to craft compelling positioning and identify the right talent pools.

Collaborative Candidate Profiling

Working closely with the founding team, we defined target companies to include (and exclude), ensuring alignment on the type of leader who could complement their technical strengths.

Rapid Calibration Process

Within two weeks, we moved from long list to refined candidate pool, enabling focused outreach to exceptional leaders who matched their precise requirements.

COVID-Adapted Evaluation

We designed safe, socially-distanced onsite interviews at Ambi's warehouse, allowing candidates to see the technology firsthand while maintaining health protocols.

Investor Validation Process

Final candidates interviewed with key investors from Vertex Ventures, The House Fund, and Bow Capital—ensuring investor confidence in the leadership choice.

The Results That Transform Companies

Exceptional Leadership Hire

Jim Liefer brings the exact combination Ambi needed:

  • 25+ years of leadership experience across robotics, shipping, and e-commerce

  • Industry credibility: Executive roles at UPS, Walmart, One Kings Lane, Kindred.ai, HDS Global

  • Deep sector knowledge: Understands both the technology and the market applications

  • Scaling expertise: Proven ability to grow companies and lead teams

  • Investor confidence: Validated by their key VCs during the interview process

Foundation for Growth

This hire positioned Ambi to:

  • Accelerate fundraising with credible business leadership

  • Scale operations beyond the founding team's capabilities

  • Expand market reach with industry relationships and expertise

  • Build investor confidence for future funding rounds

Academic-to-Commercial Bridge

Successfully paired world-class technical innovation with proven business execution—the holy grail for deep tech startups.

What Our Client Says

"I worked with Silver Project Group to fill a critical executive role at my startup. Jason was thoughtful and meticulous in helping us develop an ideal candidate profile and was highly successful at sourcing individuals who could be a good fit. He also excelled at coordinating interviews and meetings with founders, employees, and investors and aggregating feedback to help us make the best possible decision. On top of all that, he brought excitement and a positive attitude to every meeting and made the process much more enjoyable. Overall, Jason is an exceptional recruiter and we would be delighted to work with SPG again in the future."

— Jeff Mahler, CTO & Co-Founder, Ambi Robotics

Why Deep Tech Companies Trust Silver Project Group

Technical Credibility: We understand the complexity of translating breakthrough research into commercial success, and we know how to find leaders who can bridge that gap.

CEO-Level Network: We have relationships with proven executives who can step into CEO roles at critical inflection points and deliver immediate credibility with investors and customers.

Process Excellence: Even during unprecedented challenges (like COVID), we adapt our methods to ensure thorough evaluation of candidates without compromising quality.

Investor Integration: We understand that key hires need buy-in from your investor base, and we structure our process accordingly.

Academic Founder Expertise: We know how to complement technical founders with business leaders who respect their vision while bringing complementary skills.